Fractonic line excitations : an inroad from 3d elasticity theory

Abstract

We demonstrate the existence of a fundamentally new type of excitation, fractonic lines, which are line-like excitations with the restricted mobility properties of fractons. These excitations, described using an amalgamation of higher-form gauge theories with symmetric tensor gauge theories, see direct physical realization as the topological lattice defects of ordinary three-dimensional quantum crystals. Starting with the more familiar elasticity theory, we show how it maps onto a rank-4 tensor gauge theory, with phonons corresponding to gapless gauge modes and disclination defects corresponding to line-like charges. We derive flux conservation laws which lock these line-like excitations in place, analogous to the higher moment charge conservation laws of fracton theories. This way of encoding mobility restrictions of lattice defects could shed light on melting transitions in three dimensions. This new type of extended object may also be a useful tool in the search for improved quantum error-correcting codes in three dimensions.

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Cited by in corpus (57)

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• Fractional excitations in foliated fracton phases
• Fractal Symmetric Phases of Matter
• Foliated Field Theory and String-Membrane-Net Condensation Picture of Fracton Order
• Twisted Fracton Models in Three Dimensions
• Fractonic Superfluids
• Pinch Point Singularities of Tensor Spin Liquids
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• Topological Defect Networks for Fractons of all Types
• Crystal-to-Fracton Tensor Gauge Theory Dualities
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• Fractonic Chern-Simons and BF theories
• Fracton fusion and statistics
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• Anisotropic layer construction of anisotropic fracton models
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• Fractonic superfluids. (II). Condensing subdimensional particles
• Compactifying fracton stabilizer models
• Fractons from polarons
• Fracton physics of spatially extended excitations
• $(k,n)$-fractonic Maxwell theory
• Majorana Quantum Lego, a Route Towards Fracton Matter
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• Quantum robustness of fracton phases
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• Lieb-Schultz-Mattis type constraints on Fractonic Matter
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• Absence of Finite Temperature Phase Transitions in the X-Cube Model and its ${\mathbb{Z}}_p$ Generalization
• Fracton-elasticity duality in twisted moiré superlattices
• Theory of Dipole Insulators
• Localization of Extended Quantum Objects
• Fractons from frustration in hole-doped antiferromagnets
• Tearing Fractons
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• Topological Orders, Braiding Statistics, and Mixture of Two Types of Twisted $BF$ Theories in Five Dimensions
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• Electric Circuit Realizations of Fracton Physics
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• Preparing Code States via Seed-Entangler-Enriched Sequential Quantum Circuits: Application to Tetra-Digit Topological Error-Correcting Codes
• Emergent fracton strings from covariant bi-form gauge field theory